Bembe

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A language of Democratic Republic of the Congo

ISO 639-3
bmb
Alternate Names
Beembe, Ebeembe, Ibembe
Autonym
Ebembe
User Population

252,000 in Democratic Republic of the Congo (1991 UBS). Total users in all countries: 274,000.

Location

Maniema province; Sud-Kivu province: Fizi territory, west of Lake Tanganyika.

Language Maps
Language Status

5* (Developing).

Classification
Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, D, Bembe-Buyi (D.54)
Dialects

Lexical similarity: 76%–84% with Lega-Mwenga [lgm] dialects, 68% with Buyu [byi], 60% with Lega-Shabunda [lea], 55% with Zimba [zmb], 50% with Enya [gey], 45% with Nyanga [nyj], 40% with Tembo [tbt], 30% with Lengola [lej].

Language Development

Bible: 1991.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Bembe
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Classified with the Lega group (Bryan 1959). Distinct from Beembe [beq] (Bembe) of Congo Brazzaville and Bemba [bem] (Chibemba) in southeast Katanga Province, Zambia, and Tanzania. Traditional religion, Christian.

Also spoken in:

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